A specialty of Gascony, foie gras is one of the world's great gastronomic delicacies. This fully cooked foie gras mousse has a wonderfully rich flavor and silky smooth texture, and contain the finest liver and seasonings.

This light and tasty mousse - intermediate between pate and foie gras - is made with duck foie gras.

Friday, December 28, 2012

PERRIER-JOUËT"Inspired by Perrier-Jouët’s artistic heritage and the variety of its wines’ aromas, I created themed embroideries that capture each champagne’s individual character. The artworks were translated into beautiful gift boxes and bags." - Claire Coles

Technical Notes: The grapes for this wine are all hand harvested. Only the first lightly-pressed, and free run juices, are used to make their Champagne. This wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel before bottling. (Dosage = 9 g/l)

Total Production 1600 casesTasting Notes: The Legras & Haas Blanc de Blancs is a wine with a laser-like focus. In the glass the bubbles are very fine and persistent. Crisp citrus fruit and minerality lead to hints of white stone fruit and brioche notes. This is a lively, festive Champagne. While it is perfect as an aperitif, it is also a great match for fish or poultry (especially when prepared in a rich cream sauce). This is truly a wine that deserves to be called Grand Cru.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Founders Red's Rye PA will no longer be a year round brew. After February, it will switch to only being available in September and October. It will be switching to 4 packs and only available for 2 months out of the year.

Enjoy it now while it is in 6 packs until February.

Red’s Rye PA

Most noticeably, Red’s Rye PA will only be available on draft year-round, beginning in March or April of 2013. Our bottle release will be limited to a specialty, four-pack release in September and October. The final Red’s Rye PA six-pack batch will ship in February 2013.

This was a hard decision for us to make. We love Red’s Rye PA, and we do not want to limit its availability, but it’s the right thing to do for the sake of the quality of the beer. Red’s Rye PA carries a shelf life of 90 days, which means it is tied with Harvest Ale for having the shortest shelf life of any of our brands. Extensive lab analyses have been conducted, and they have validated this shelf life again and again.

This limited shelf life holds true for Red’s Rye PA in bottles and Red’s Rye PA in kegs; however, the out-of-code Red’s Rye PA that we’ve found in the market has overwhelmingly been bottles. This is mostly because kegs have a faster sell-through rate, but draft has other built-in shelf life benefits such as constant refrigeration and a totally concealed container that protects the beer from light exposure.

By shortening Red’s Rye PA’s period of availability, we alleviate shelf life concerns due to the shorter window of availability. Specialty beers tend to have a much faster sell-through rate than seasonal and year-round beers.

We aren’t taking this decision lightly. We discussed modifying the Red’s Rye PA recipe to extend the shelf life, and researched it for some time, but it simply wouldn’t be the same beer. As difficult as this is, we aren’t willing to compromise our recipe and a beer that we believe in just to get it on the shelves longer.

Finally, by moving Red’s Rye PA into the specialty category, it will be moved from a six-pack to a four-pack package, and the price per bottle will increase. Red’s Rye PA has always been an expensive beer for us to make; its cost is more in-line with our specialty beers, but we blended our margins for years to try to make it work. In the end, we’ve had to accept that this is the right thing to do for one of our greatest beers. As is always the case at Founders, producing quality beer comes ahead of concerns about profits.

"TAKE YOUR TONGUE ON A TRIP TO THE ARCTIC ISLE’S RING OF FIRE WITH LAVA SMOKED IMPERIAL STOUT (9.4% ABV). IT WILL SKÁL ÞIG YFIR (BOWL YOU OVER)."Lava is a full-bodied, pitch-black beer with a dense brown head. It is richly flavored with notes of dark chocolate, rummy plum, roasted malt, espresso and lactose, with birch smoke in the finish. Lava is highly sought after by Scandinavian beer geeks. Taste it and you will understand why.Lew Bryson recently gave a wonderful review of Lava. He notes:“Smoked imperial Stout from one of Iceland’s handful of breweries. Weighty look to it, rich beechwood smoke aromas. Delicious smoke flavors permeate a medium-weight body, surprising notes and even some berry flashes near the end. The finish reveals the bitterness, leaving a clean bite of smoke and fruit at the end. Lush flavors, but not heavy; a smoky dessert.”

This fantastic beer was also featured on Martha Stewart TV.GREAT WITH FOOD!

You might like to get to know Icelandic foods to pair with the beer: oysters, lobster and crayfish, arctic char, herring, sea urchin, halibut, gravlax, lamb, reindeer, rabbit and shark.

And here are a fistful of herbs, spices and plants to work with to turn anydish Icelandic: angelica, dulse, sorrel, dock, yarrow, wild arctic thyme, juniper, crowberry, caraway, scurvywort, moss.

Last winter, we went to Oslo, Norway for a long weekend. There, fast friends and key operatives in the craft beer scene introduced us to a beer they loved from Iceland’s only craft brewery, Olvisholt Brugghus. We loved it too. And so began an odyssey to find the brewer and bring back his delicious beer to you. We went to Iceland in September and the combined effect of Iceland’s raw natural beauty and Jon Gunnlauggson’s talent as a farmstead brewer – on a wild and lonely heath facing an active volcano – was utterly stunning and inspiring. And so is the Olvisholt story:

The brewery opened on Jon’s family dairy farm in 2008. The day before the official inauguration, an earthquake, registering 6.1 on the Richter scale, shocked Southern Iceland. The full combi tanks were swayed side to side, but the equipment withstood the tremor. Visitors at the opening said the brewers must be in contact with the Nordic gods since their first beer, Skalfti, means earthquake. Next came Lava… and Eyjafjallajokull – the volcano that erupted and halted all air traffic across Northern Europe. Hmm…importer

Colorado’s Ska Brewing Co. kicked off its new seasonal stout series with the September release of Autumnal Molé. Hatch green chiles counter the stout’s sweetness with just the right dose of heat. The next release in the series, a wood-aged stout brewed with malbec grapes, is due out this week.

14. Boulevard 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat* (in stock now)

When Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing unveiled its new year-round beer in August, I wrote that 80-Acre had the potential to become a staple in my fridge. Four months later, with its fruity hop character and refreshing wheat base, it’s a mainstay.

11. 4 Hands Cuvee Ange* (sold out)

Brewed with raspberries and blackberries and aged in merlot, cabernet and grenache barrels, Cuvee Ange is a beautiful expression of bright fruit, tannic wood and tart funk. A small-batch release got scooped up quickly in September, leaving St. Louis beer fans begging: Do it again!

10. Samuel Adams Thirteenth Hour* (in stock now)

A blend of 13 ingredients goes into this Belgian-style stout, which was the best thing I tasted this year from the prolific Boston Beer Co. The standout ingredient? Kosmic Mother Funk, a proprietary oak-aged beer that gives Thirteenth Hour touches of black pepper, acid and caramelized fruit.

Wild yeasts “meddle” with several generations of wood-aged brown ale to create the Meddler. The beer is Colorado’s Odell Brewing Co.’s nod to Flemish sour ales and their symphony of sweet and tart flavors.

3. 4 Hands Prussia* (sold out)

These Top Three could really go in any order, but rankings are rankings, so No. 3 is Prussia, a hazy, fresh-tasting, low-alcohol Berliner weisse that I couldn’t get enough of this summer. Look forward to its return this summer; I know I am.

1. Stone 16th Anniversary IPA* (sold out)

The brash brewers at Stone cranked out a double IPA this summer for the brewery’s 16th anniversary. At 10 percent ABV, Stone 16th Anniversary IPA has spicy notes from an addition of rye malt and tropical notes from Calypso hops. But its knockout ingredient is lemon verbena, which infuses the brew with the unmistakable fragrance and flavor of lemon oil. Exceptional beer.

Wookey Jack | Firestone Walker Brewing Co. | Specialty BeerThis black IPA delves deep into the world of dark grains without ever losing its composure. A thoughtfully smooth, chocolate and roasted malt base is the perfect stage for the hops’ juicy orange and tangerine, while the clever use of a black wheat malt and two types of rye elevates the swallow with aplayfully edgy, spicy kick. It’s big (8.3% ABV), it’s bitter (80 IBUs), and it’s the best black IPA we’ve had to date.

Lava | Ölvisholt Brugghús | Smoked BeerStraight from a tiny farmhouse brewery in Iceland, the newly imported Lava does the land of volcanoes justice: Rustic birch smoke permeates this chewy beer’s roasted malts, rich chocolate, dark cherry and raisin, while a frisky 9.5% ABV lightly singes the back of the throat. Its complex depth and noticeable brawn make for a perfect snifter on a blustery winter night—absolutely fitting, considering its origin.

Milk Stout Nitro | Left Hand Brewing Co. | Sweet StoutThe year began with Left Hand setting its sights on a certain ubiquitous Irish beer when it reimagined its classic Milk Stout by bottling it with a proprietary nitrogen system instead of the widget you find in other stouts. The brewery’s kept the science close to its vest, but we do know this: The ultravelvety version of the original mocha-and-chocolate-packed ale exceeds what we’ve always considered one of the best stouts in America.

Zwickel | Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. | ZwickelbierUrban Chestnut’s zwickelbier brings the nearly forgotten German style (it predates the pilsner!) back to life with perfection. This 19th-century spin-off of the kellerbier reminds us just how charming a lager can be: Fluffy and bready with a snappy, grain-driven finish, Zwickel’s a premier example of honest, simple beer refreshment.

These we had earlier in the year, but are sold out nowBacon Maple Ale | Rogue Ales | Specialty BeerIt was the year’s most divisive beer, and we couldn’t get enough. The concept: recreate Portland, Ore.-based Voodoo Doughnut’s Bacon Maple Bar in a bright pink bottle. A staggering list of ingredients included seven malts (three of them smoked), bacon and pure maple flavoring, yielding a spot-on profile of doughy bread, molasses and smoky bacon—and the most decadent foodie beer of 2012.Prunus Saison | 4 Hands Brewing Co. | Fruit BeerAs powerful, enamel-erasing sours continue to trend, subtlety is just what the dentist ordered. This new St. Louis brewery delivered with its first (and our favorite) spring seasonal release, a saison brewed with sour cherries. This fluffy brew’s effortless fusion of gentle tart cherry with playful black pepper and clove was a revelation; delicate, refined and incredibly quaffable, Prunus is flawless.16th Anniversary IPA | Stone Brewing Co. | Specialty BeerStone unleashed a slew of hoppy brews this year—Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA, Bottleworks 13th Anniversary Ale and the potentially game-changing Enjoy By IPA—but it was the brewery’s 16th Anniversary IPA that left us speechless. An imperial IPA at heart, additions of lemon verbena, lemon oil anda dash of rye malt created a ridiculously enjoyable, razor-sharp profile backed by the biggest, sunniest swell of lemon we’ve ever tasted in an IPA. This beer draws a new line for imperial IPA intensity.

Love Child No. 2 | Boulevard Brewing Co. | Specialty BeerBrewed with Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and aged in bourbon casks, Boulevard’s first wide-release wild ale is the most intensely sour beer we sipped this year. Big cherry and fierce sour swells roll back in waves; hints of bourbon and barnyard funk add incredible complexity. It took the brewery eight years of experimentation to get into the wild ale game, and its debut is a reflection of uncompromising effort.

It has been a number of years since we have seen Coste Caumartin in St. Louis. We just received some great 2009 vintage and 2010 vintages wines!

We are proud to re-introduce to St. Louis....

Limited production -- less than 1,000 cases made of each!

Fantastic prices!

In stock at Rock Hill and Forsyth!

2010 Château de Saint-Romain Bourgogne Blanc...$25.99100% ChardonnayThis beautifully balanced Chardonnay is exemplary of its appellation. The wine’s bright minerality is softened by delicate pear and white peach notes. The wine is aged in neutral oak barrels for 12 months before bottling.400 cases produced

2010 Domaine Coste-Caumartin Bourgogne Rouge...$25.99100% Pinot NoirThe vines for this wine are planted in the vineyards below the village of Pommard. This distinct Bourgogne rouge has the robust character and bright red fruit flavors that one would expect from this area of Burgundy. This wine is aged in neutral oak barrels for 12 months before bottling.530 cases produced2009 Domaine Coste-Caumartin Hautes Côtes de Beaune...$27.99100% Pinot NoirThis wine comes from a small holding of less than one hectare of vines in the “En Salaize” vineyard. Located in hills above the town of Beaune, these vineyards are know for producing racy wines with supple tannins. This wine is aged in small oak barrels for 12 months before bottling.250 cases produced2009 Domaine Coste-Caumartin - Pommard 1er Cru “Les Fremiers”...$59.99100% Pinot NoirLes Fremiers is among the southernmost vineyards in the appellation Pommard. Situated next to the Volnay Frémiets vineyard, it produces wines that have the elegance and length of Volnay, with a hint of the power associated with Pommard.825 cases produced

Great Vineyard site -- very limited!2009 Domaine Coste-Caumartin Pommard 1er Cru...“Clos des Boucherottes”...$64.99(Monopole) 100% Pinot NoirFrom the northernmost vineyards of Pommard this 1.83 hectare Monopole vineyard is surrounded by some of the most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy. Above is the famous Clos des Mouches, and below are the Clos des Epeneaux and the Petit Epenots vineyards. The Clos des Boucherottes consistently produces intense concentrated Pommard, with remarkable complexity.900 cases produced

Domaine Coste-Caumartin:The highly regarded wine producer, DOMAINE COSTE-CAUMARTIN, is located in the heart of Pommard, in Burgundy. The domaine’s buildings were built in 1610. However, the estate didn’t come into the family of Jérôme SORDET, the current proprietor, until 1793. They are fortunate to have some of the best parcels in Pommard, including the Monopole “Clos des Boucherottes”. The wines are all matured for 12 months in French oak, of which 10 to 15 % is new. Jérôme Sordet seeks to maximize the expression of terroir, the nature of the soil, the position, the micro-climate, and giving his wines their character and personality.In September 2009, the Estate obtained the qualification in "Sustainable Agriculture".“Sustainable Viticulture and Oenology” is a system, in which all of the aspects cultivation and production are designed to improve oenological practices while respecting the specificity of our Appellations, and of course then environment.Beginning with the 2009 Vintage, Domaine Coste-Caumartin was fully certified under the guidelines of “Sustainable Viticulture and Oenology”.The final aim of all of our endeavors is to be more respectful of the environment.

"Segura Viudas hand crafts distinctive, artisan méthode champenoise sparkling wines according to Cava traditions begun over 100 years ago. Steeped in rich Spanish heritage and situated on an estate that dates to the 11th century, Segura Viudas draws on this legacy, blending it with modern winemaking to create sophisticated yet approachable Cavas. The Segura Viudas wines come from the renowned Penedès region of Spain just outside of Barcelona. Extraordinary wines built for everyday consumption, our flagship line includes Brut Reserva and Extra Dry, fruity and aromatic cuvées resulting from an elevated percentage of Macabeo, and the dry, berry-driven Brut Rosé." -- winery

Winemaker's NotesAromas are of white fruits, citrus, tropical fruits, and light floral notes. The palate is exquisite, complex and full of flavor, with good acidity and notes of lime and pineapple. It is dry and long on the finish.

Our American blonde ale is brewed with elderflower, red wheat, and three different varieties of hops. Elderflower adds a soft floral element that accentuates the red wheat. Single speed pours straw in color with floral undertones.

4 Hands Brewing Reprise Centennial Red....$4.99 / 22oz

The centennial hop is the centerpiece of our American Red Ale. Reprise pushes the limits of a single hop with an amazing bouquet and stunning bitterness all the way through. The citrus character provides an experience you will want to repeat. Reprise is crimson in color with aromas of citrus fruit and biscuit malt.

4 Hands Brewing Divided Sky Rye IPA...$4.99 / 22oz

"This beer brings together tow of our favorite ingredients; hops and rye - serious hops up front provide a pungent, floral, and citrus character. We use centennial, Columbus, and Cascades in this hop lovers dream. The rye provides a slightly spicy flavor and a full mouth-feel. Divided Sky pours straw in color with notes of tangerine, grapefruit, and pine. Drink fresh!" - 4 Hands Brewing Co.

CAST IRON OATMEAL BROWN...$4.99 / 22ozThis is one monster of a Brown Ale! We use an obnoxious amount of chocolate malt and roasted barley to give this beer a cask iron backbone. Our oatmeal brown pours a dark mahogany with aromas of dark chocolate and coffee.

In a tasting of 20 Champagnes, priced under $40 each, the wine panel was pleasantly surprised by the elegance that we found among our favorites.

1. JOËL FALMET Brut Tradition NV

2. LOUIS ROEDERER

3. AGRAPART AND FILS

4. HENRIOT

5. CHRISTIAN ETIENNE

6. GEORGES GARDET

7. TAITTINGER

8. MOUTARD

9. NICOLAS FEUILLATTE

10. POL ROGER

"So, here it is. If you can afford to spend $30 to $40 a bottle on Champagne, more or less the entry-level price nowadays, you may find yourself with some seriously good wine.

The Falmet Brut Tradition was our top-rated wine. We found it full of lively energy, with complex flavors of flowers, minerals, citrus and herbs, and with more finesse than you generally find in Champagnes dominated by the pinot noir grape." - New York Times

The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee, which I tasted from several foudres, is essentially equivalent in quality, but it has not yet been bottled. If I understood Paul Feraud correctly, he tends to prefer the 2009, but says Laurence prefers the 2010. In any event, this is one of those “pick’em” dilemmas. The 2010 is a fabulous wine of exceptional intensity, tremendous flavor authority and full-bodied power. It is slightly more reserved than the more flamboyant 2009, but of course it is still in foudre. Very rich with lots of Provencal herb, smoky, meaty, kirsch, black currant and blackberry notes, it is a stunningly viscous, thick and rich effort with a slightly more vibrant finish. This magnificent Chateauneuf du Pape should age for three decades or more based on how well the 1989 and 1990 are maturing. This 2010 should be bottled early next year, and released in Fall, 2013.

American Wild Paddlefish Caviar: 1oz $38.99, 2oz $71.99The Paddlefish Caviar resembles the Sevruga grade of the Caspian Sea although this caviar can be slightly smaller. This caviar ranges in color from dark amber to a dark gray, with a complex body, good salinity and subtle brine flavor. American Wild Caviar Hackleback Sturgeon: 1oz $39.99, 2oz $79.99In the rivers of Tennessee and Illinois live the Hackleback Sturgeon. Hackleback Caviar is black with a soft, mild, light buttery taste and an ocean finish.

American Wild Salmon Roe: 4oz $19.99 Siberian Strugeon (Baerli Italy): 2oz $149.99The Siberian Sturgeon is a cousin to the Osetra Sturgeon. This Caviar has pure Osetra flavors. The grain size ranges from medium to large. The color ranges from a dark gray to golden brown.

Russian Osetra (Israel): 1oz $99.99 This Osetra Caviar is raised in Northern Israel. Water from the Dan River is used in this farm. This is the secret ingredient that produces a superb Caviar with intense Osetra flavor.

Imperial Osetra (Israel): 1oz $139.99 Today. Imperial Caviar comes from mature White Ossetra sturgeon. This caviar is highly coveted for its golden grains that deliver an earthy, nutty and fruity flavor. The color of Imperial Caviar may vary from golden to greenish.

Brewer's Notes: Inspired by the epic skyline of Chicago, Goose Island’s brewers set out to craft Big John; a tall, bold slugger of a stout that stands out vividly against the little soft beers out there. Epic amounts of roasted malt and an addition of cacao nibs give Big John a massive chocolate flavor and aroma. With a body as substantial and black as the building to which it pays homage, Big John is sure to inspire a sense of awe with every sip.

STLIPA, Revolution Series #3:We pronounce it “sta-leep-ah”… you pronounce it how you like. STLIPA, which is the acronym for St. Louis India Pale Ale, is actually a DIPA (Double or Imperial IPA…i.e., double the stats of a traditional IPA). We hope it’s a ‘sleeper’ that you’ll include in your set of favorite DIPA’s from one of the best beer cities in the world…St. Louis. Hops- Sterling, Cascade, Mt. Hood, Willamette, Chinook. ABV- 8.5%, IBU’s- 100, OG – 18.5 Plato

Urban Chestnut Schnickelfritz...$8.99 / 4pksSchnickelfritz, Reverence Series #2The unmistakable characteristics of this Bavarian Weissbier are achieved with a yeast that is decidedly fruity and phenolic. You may note clove, nutmeg or even vanilla and/or banana-like aromas and flavors. ABV- 5.2%, IBU’s- 15, OG – 12.5 Plato

Only 715 bottles madeWe have bottles #409 and #410St. George Single Malt Whiskey XXX 30th Anniversary...$329.99St. George Spirits has been making Single Malt Whiskey consistently longer than any distillery in the United States. For those new to perhaps the country’s best craft distillery, check out my previous postings and an article I wrote for Dominic Roskrow’sWorld Whiskey Review. Each of these articles gives a bit more background on the distillery and their whiskey program.

What’s really unique about St. George’s single malt is their aging process. Specifically, they use a variety of barrels and ages to create a whiskey that retains the distillery’s DNA of complex fruit and roasted/toasted malt, but also has slight variances from release to release.

A mere 715 bottles make up the distillery’s 30th anniversary single malt release. The whiskey is comprised of some of the oldest whiskey stocks finished in a barrel that previously held pear brandy. St. George began making eau de vie, particularly pear, when the distillery opened in 1982. The flagship spirit was actually a pear brandy, so this release is a bit of a nod to the distilleries early days.

It’s worth noting that in October of 2011 I was at the distillery and had the opportunity to try a 14 year old single malt that was barrel proof, deep chocolate in color, and had the viscosity of berry syrup. It was one of the best sips of whiskey I had all year. In short, I can absolutely attest to the depth, complexity, and greatness of some of St. George’s stocks. Let’s take a look a closer look at this limited release whiskey.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Each year we bring together incredible combinations of ingredients to produce special single-batch spirits. This year's is no exception. It is our delight to introduce our Fall 2012 limited release, Silver Lining. This spirit arrived in stores, bars and restaurants for the first time in late October 2012.

Inspired by our bartender friends, Silver Lining is what you need when things seem to be getting a little out of control, or for when you need a good, strong drink after a tough night. It is our take on a traditional German kräuter (herbal) liqueur. While most kräuters are targeted at college-age consumers, ours is a more sophisticated, delicious version, intended for our adventurous friends and drinking compatriots.

We've infused and distilled the spirit with a wide range of herbs and botanicals. The only two we're sharing are cacao and coffee. In fact, we used some amazing, locally roasted coffee from our friends at Metropolis Coffee Co. in Chicago.

With this limited release, 860 bottles were produced. Each bottle is hand numbered, and once these bottles are sold there will be no more available. As with past limited releases, once it's gone, it's gone.Enjoying Silver LiningAfter a long day or night, or when you're just in the mood, enjoy a shot of Silver Lining – simply shake the bottle, pour, and enjoy. You can also sip it after a rich meal, add it to your coffee, or mix it into a cocktail. Find a few ideas in our Cocktail Repository.

In Denmark we have a lovely tradition for funky beer, and what you have here is certainly no exception. This is a never before seen collaboration between Ron and the Beast Ryan. A fluffy and precious Saison brewed on the beautiful island of Fanø on the west coast of Denmark. It may sound like a true fairytale, but don’t be fooled by it’s cute appearance.

Evil Twin The Beer FKA Black Out...$8.99 / 11.2oz

Style: Imperial Porter

Brewed: Brouwerij De Molen, Holland

ABV: 10.2%

The Beer Formerly known as Blackout

Some of us has experienced a blackout. Maybe you hit your head hard, forgot your lines in the high school play or perhaps all the lights went out in your city. In any case a blackout can very often become a moment of lucidity – stranded and discharged from the world that’s when really can push boundaries and finally realize …….

.Available onlineHere is Rick along with his wife Lory opening the very first bottle of 2006 Rick Ankiel Napa Valley Wine!

The winebat :Limited to 12 boxes. Each box will be numbered and autographed by Rick Ankiel. The boxes include a Rick Ankiel bat that has been stained in red wine and autographed and 3 bottles of 2006 Rick Ankiel Napa Valley Red wine, one of the bottles is autographedWinebat set - $699.99

Eating Roquefort cheese could help guard against cardiovascular disease despite its high fat and salt content, according to new research that suggests why the French enjoy good health.

The properties of the blue cheese, which is aged in caves in the south of France, were found to work best in acidic environments of the body. Photo: REUTERS

Scientists discovered the French cheese, known for its mould and green veins, has specific anti-inflammatory properties. It could provide clues to the “French paradox” and explain why people who live in the country enjoy good health despite favouring a diet high in saturated fat. Using new technology, the researchers found the properties worked their best when the cheese, one of the world’s oldest, ripened. The properties of the blue cheese, which is aged in caves in the south of France, near Toulouse, were found to work best in acidic environments of the body, such as the lining of the stomach or the skin surface. Acidification is also a common process accompanying inflammation such as in joints affected by arthritis or special plaque on an artery wall.

French women enjoy the joint-longest life expectancy in Europe, at 85.3 years, against 82.3 years for British women. The group of doctors at a Cambridge-based biotech company developed the technology, which helps to identify the new anti-inflammatory factors. The team from Lycotec, led by Dr Ivan Petyaev and Dr Yuriy Bashmakov, suggested the new properties could be extracted to help the fight against cardiovascular disease or in anti-ageing creams. They detailed their work in a study, published in the Medical Hypotheses journal, titled: “Could cheese be the missing piece in the French paradox puzzle?” “The anti-inflammatory factors found in these cheeses could be extracted and used independently or as a part of today's pharmaceutical or beauty products,” they wrote. “Observations indicate that consumption of red wine alone cannot explain the paradox and perhaps some other constituents of the typical French diet could be responsible for reduced cardiovascular mortality. “We hypothesise that cheese consumption, especially of moulded varieties, may contribute to the occurrence of the ‘French paradox’.” They added: “Moulded cheeses, including Roquefort, may be even more favourable to cardiovascular health.” Roquefort, which is thought to have been first eaten in about 79AD, is noted for its sharp, tangy, salty flavour and its rich, creamy texture.

Our American blonde ale is brewed with elderflower, red wheat, and three different varieties of hops. Elderflower adds a soft floral element that accentuates the red wheat. Single speed pours straw in color with floral undertones.

4 Hands Brewing Reprise Centennial Red....$4.99 / 22oz

The centennial hop is the centerpiece of our American Red Ale. Reprise pushes the limits of a single hop with an amazing bouquet and stunning bitterness all the way through. The citrus character provides an experience you will want to repeat. Reprise is crimson in color with aromas of citrus fruit and biscuit malt.

4 Hands Brewing Divided Sky Rye IPA...$4.99 / 22oz

"This beer brings together tow of our favorite ingredients; hops and rye - serious hops up front provide a pungent, floral, and citrus character. We use centennial, Columbus, and Cascades in this hop lovers dream. The rye provides a slightly spicy flavor and a full mouth-feel. Divided Sky pours straw in color with notes of tangerine, grapefruit, and pine. Drink fresh!" - 4 Hands Brewing Co.

CAST IRON OATMEAL BROWN...$4.99 / 22ozThis is one monster of a Brown Ale! We use an obnoxious amount of chocolate malt and roasted barley to give this beer a cask iron backbone. Our oatmeal brown pours a dark mahogany with aromas of dark chocolate and coffee.